Contrary to popular belief, Apple was not the first to begin the trend of upgrading and re-releasing their hardware. Prior to the release of the iPhone, Nintendo had already begun the standard of releasing a system, then re-releasing a more refined version later. In 2004 we saw the Nintendo DS (Developer System), followed by Nintendo DS Lite in 2006, and DSi and DSi XL years later. Now, in what is called the ninth generation of gaming we’ve seen the release of the PS4, the PS4 Slim, and PS4 Pro as well as the Xbox One, One S, and One X, we may also see a second or even third iteration of the Nintendo Switch.

According to the Wall Street Journal (which, someone on Reddit abridged for easier access), there is a second (and possibly third) version of the Switch that will be released as early as this summer. One of the new versions is to be aimed, in the words of the WSJ, “at avid videogamers,” which could lead to speculation that not only is this a greatly improved system, but it is a system that will be able to run more exhaustive games. This could also bolster the claims that Microsoft/Xbox is aiming to bring its GamePass service to the system at some point this year or next.

One could further speculate that this may be in preparation for the VR toy-con, which we covered in our first article on the site. As the system is naturally under-powered, I personally have concerns that the Switch could have issues with running VR games already on the market. Though at this moment, this is all speculation on my own part.

The other speculation, this time on the WSJ, is this other version will be, “a cheaper option for casual gamers[…]”. This is undeniably a worthwhile assumption as the Wii was aimed towards ‘the casual market‘ which is shorthand for: children and mothers who don’t play RPGs. However, as we go into the third year since the release of the Nintendo Switch, there has been very little to no drop in the price, a cheaper option wouldn’t be a bad idea.

After the huge success that the Switch has been for Nintendo, there is no doubt these two speculations could elevate Nintendo back into the fight against both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The consumer response to the Switch has been great, which has in result led to developers running to the Switch. The massive library that has grown over the last few years is nothing short of a massive success for Nintendo. A more powerful system will mean more games. However, a cheaper system will result in more consumers for the platform.

If these two systems are to be announced or released this year, one would have to assume this will be announced at the largest event this summer, E3 2019. This year it’s a smaller event, though if Nintendo are to announce or release the enhancements it would be at E3. With that said, many of us will be keeping our eyes on the Nintendo showcase this year for this update.

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